For many, Memorial Day marks the unofficial start to summer and the beginning of outdoor parties, grilling season and dining al fresco. Wouldn't it be nice to have an outdoor kitchen so that you don't have keep making trips back into to the house? While an outdoor kitchen sounds luxurious, it may actually be more within reach than you think! With careful planning, much like you did for your home's interior kitchen, you can have the outdoor kitchen you've always dreamed of!
Adding an outdoor kitchen to your landscape upgrades the value of your home. It's perhaps more appealing to a potential buyer than a pool. It's a great way to extend your living and entertaining space without breaking the bank! Take advantage of those nicer days and enjoy the outdoor weather while having the same comforts as your indoor space.
Be sure to plan your layout carefully. It's important to think about how you are going to use your outdoor kitchen. Does the cook want enough space for helpers? Or would they prefer to go it alone? Do you want your guests to enjoy the view, or does the cook get that perk?
Don't overlook the essentials. Be sure to include enough space for food prep and cooking including a grill and possibly side burners. Add ample space to serve your guests and of course, clean up! A sink and a bar area are a nice addition. If you are including a place for drinks, it's best to position it at the end of the cooking area so that guests can come up the bar without interrupting the cook!
An outdoor kitchen doesn't need to be huge to be fabulous! Small compact kitchens are just as beautiful and functional as their fancier siblings. Consider the size and style of your home and design an outdoor kitchen that compliments both!
If you are looking to minimize your expenses, locate your kitchen close to the house to reduce the price of pulling electrical, water and gas lines to more remote areas of your yard.
It's easy overlook the lighting, but surely your cook will still want to see what they are doing after the sun goes down. I highly recommend that you include some form of lighting in your design. Think of it as insurance against burnt burgers and sizzled steaks!!
Remember that the cooking area tends to get hot. Your guests may melt if you seat them too close. Be sure that your seating area is a comfortable distance from the action.
We all know that weather can be unpredictable. Having some sort of protection from the elements is a smart idea. Coordinating market umbrellas provide good protection and can be opened or closed depending on what the weather brings.
Or perhaps you'd like a more permanent type of coverage. I love the idea of adding a pergola to provide a bit of protection for the cook and their guests. Depending on which region of the country you live in, you may also want to incorporate heat lamps or vice versa, overhead fans.
I love getting the most use out of my yard and the extra vitamin D always does me good! Adding an outdoor kitchen to my landscape is the perfect way to accomplish both! If you are thinking of how to extend your grilling and entertaining season check out my Pinterest board, Outdoor Kitchen Ideas, for lots of inspiration and clever ideas!
Renee possesses a rare combination of artistic creativity and intuitive design. Her warmth and compassion extended beyond working with us to understanding the style and feel of our home and how we live in it. We felt fortunate to work with and get to know Renee and absolutely love the updates she made to our home- from windows and walls to artwork and furniture!
Renee is an absolutely wonderful designer. Very talented and easy to work with! She will transform your room or outdoor space into exactly what you want, only better!
Talented, creative, dedicated, great communicator. Renee is such a special person.
We have worked with Renee Carman at this company for almost 2 years. Renee is professional, personable, and a pleasure to know. She is very helpful and will go the extra mile to please her clients. Renee has excellent expertise and knowledge of interior design. We have a beautiful home and highly recommend her.
Renee possesses a rare combination of artistic creativity and intuitive design. Her warmth and compassion extended beyond working with us to understanding the style and feel of our home and how we live in it. We felt fortunate to work with and get to know Renee and absolutely love the updates she made to our home- from windows and walls to artwork and furniture!
Renee was a pleasure to work with and has great vision. We were doing a total rehab of a recently purchased property and she was able to look at a gutted out '50s cottage and turn it into a beautiful mid-century modern home. She understood our budget and timeline and was good about narrowing all our options down to just a few choices. This expedited the process, made it less difficult and more enjoyable. Once the rehab is done, we look forward to working with her again and finish the rest of the rooms.
Renee at Mandeville Canyon Interior Design was simply wonderful to work with. She was able to understand what we were looking for in terms of color, function and design from the moment we first spoke. She's easy to work with, goes above and beyond and delivers an outstanding design.
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Love working with Renee and Mandeville Canyon Interior Design ! I had the opportunity to collaborate on a large scale design project recently and the results were fantastic! Creative, resourceful and one of kind design ideas made this design opportunity with Renee "one of a kind" Have a large or small project? You won't be disappointed!!
Renee not only has an amazingly creative eye, she also directed a massive renovation for us this past year that included the challenges of operating during the pandemic. She put together a team that had an incredible work ethic and brought the project in on-time and on-budget. She's a great listener. When we threw ideas at her, she was never dismissive; quite the contrary, she made them better. Her patience, attention to detail combined with her whacky sense of humor meant we were all able to smile while producing a home that we love. A great talent and a great lady.
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